How do I get a job in a mental hospital

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I'm 16 and a drop out; I have been to several different mental hospitals. I,m currently in my first semester of college getting pre reqs towards a adn. I want to get my cna later this year after I turn 17 and also get my ged. I know what I want to do. I want to work at the very places I hated at times. I know i am young but I feel I would be a good rn in a mental hospital. I could relate to the patient. I only have one question how do I land a job at mental hospital? I want to work as a cna in one so I have prior knowledge when I complete my adn. also would my knowledge of procedures and experiences as a patient help me or should I keep my mouth shut during interviews and act like I know nothng? I want to hep people the way others helped me when I was in the hospital if it wasn't for some of the nurses I met I wouldn't be here writing this. I want to help people the way they helped me I just don't want to disqualify myself before I even start my job search. I want you'lls opinion.

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Apply online when you're done getting your CNA, just like everyone else. On an interview, they would want to hear about how you're good at calming people down, or deescalating people. That and your attention to safety. Volunteer work relating to psychology or social work can look good on a resume. Anything with autism, homeless, or developmentally disabled can have some volunteer work, etc. No, definitely do not say you were ever a patient in such a facility. Never, even afterwards if you are hired. I would call it a " behavioral health" hospital and not a mental hospital, by the way. Where I work they mostly hire mental health techs instead of CNA's, and you need a bachelors degree to be a mental health tech. I also have a degree in psychology which I obtained first before nursing and couldn't get hired as a mental health tech. After I got some years of experience as a nurse, I was hired in psych pretty easily.

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Specializes in UR/PA, Hematology/Oncology, Med Surg, Psych.

My opinion is to go finish high school. I find it hard to believe that you're taking college pre-requisite classes without a diploma or GED, or even being enrolled in high school.

I haven't seen CNAs in the psychiatric inpatient facilities I've worked, although I think I did see them in Geri-psych clinicals while in school. What I've regularly seen are Behavioral Techs that quite often already have a Bachelor's degree of some type (ie: Psychology, Sociology, BSW, and Criminology) and are working on Graduate degrees.

It's also not a good idea to strongly "relate to patient" suffering. Boundaries are of BIG importance in psychiatric care for both the patient and the staff. Empathy not sympathy is important, as many of the patient's psychiatric conditions display in unhealthy manipulative behaviors.

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Hmmm

Feel like we are getting trolled here, since when can 16 year old drop outs take college pre reqs. Wouldn't you go to the college and they would tell you to go finish high school ?

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I'm not a troll. I was allowed to take classes at my community college and was registered under individual approval. Im currently taking PYSCH-2301 and SPCH-1318; surprisingly today is early registration for spring as well.

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I should add I live in texas and most facility's i was in had CNA techs at one of the state hospitals I was placed in they were PNA/Psychiatric nurse assistants. Also I understand I should not empathizes with patients, but I would understand their needs better. If a patient feels agitated I wouldn't as them to go to group without first asking If they would like some time alone. I only speak from experience and would try to avoid mistakes I saw others do when handling situations. All I do know is in behavioral health sometimes patience is key.

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